WASHINGTON — The Congressional Dietary Supplement Caucus on Monday held an educational briefing, “Sports Health and Fitness: The Role of Dietary Supplements,” for Capitol Hill staff. This is the second DSC educational briefing for the 113th Congress and the 17th briefing since the DSC was formed in 2006.

The luncheon featured NFL wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald Jr. of the Arizona Cardinals, who is also the founder of the Larry Fitzgerald First Down Fund, and Ed Wyszumiala, general manager, NSF International’s Dietary Supplement Certification Programs.

“There are no shortcuts in life. As a professional athlete, being informed is paramount for me. When I see certifications on products, I know I am safe. It gives me peace of mind,” Fitzgerald shared with attendees. “My body is my life. I do my research. As a professional athlete or amateur athlete, nutrition is extremely important.”

In speaking to the confidence that consumers like Fitzgerald get when seeing its certification seal on products’ labels, Wyszumiala emphasized NSF’s goal from the very start as being “to develop something that provides the highest level of integrity” as it relates to consumer safety. NSF’s certification programs — along with other third-party certification programs for the industry — assist dietary supplement manufacturers with compliance and demonstrate to consumers that responsible companies produce healthful products, increasing their confidence in the science, safety and quality of dietary supplements that promote “better nutrition, and a better way of life.”

For the more than 60 attendees, the key takeaways included the significant role dietary supplements play in supporting the nutritional needs of active individuals and athletes, and the importance of good manufacturing practices, product certification and testing programs to help ensure safe dietary supplements for athletes and consumers.

Poll

Poll

SPECIAL REPORTS

Are we in the midst of a beauty revolution? Perhaps. It is no secret that the ever-changing beauty category is all about trends, but one could argue that we are embarking on an especially interesting time in beauty as technology is changing the way consumers shop and new innovations strive to break through the noise.

In this beauty report, Drug Store News takes a deeper dive into some of the leading trends that are reshaping beauty.more ...

IN THIS ISSUE

In this issue, DSN examines PricewaterhouseCoopers' "Top Health Industry Issues for 2015;" takes you on a tour of Murad, shares beauty trends and insights and delves into location-based technology and how it is revolutionizing health, retail.Click here to view the issue.